Tile wall structure and construction method therefor

ABSTRACT

A tile wall structure and a tile wall construction method are disclosed which eliminate the necessity to perform inking for each tile support rail to significantly facilitate an installation operation of tile support rails. A tile supporting portion having upwardly and downwardly projecting portions is formed on a lower side edge of each tile support rail while a tile has upper and lower supporting grooves formed on upper and lower surfaces thereof. The tile support rails are disposed on the skeleton such that adjacent lower and upper portions thereof overlap with each other and positioning portions thereof are positioned relative to each other at the overlapping portions. Each tile is supported between the tile supporting portions of adjacent upper and lower tile support rails with the upper supporting groove engaged with the downwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion of the upper side tile support rail and with the lower supporting groove engaged with the upwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion of the lower side tile support rail.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a tile wall structure and a tile wall construction method wherein tiles (including bricks) are arranged and supported on a tile support rail which is a horizontally elongated tile supporting metal member.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional tile wall of the type mentioned is usually configured such that a recessed groove for fitting having a trapezoidal cross section and called dovetail groove is formed over the overall length on a rear surface of a tile and is fitted with a projecting strip formed over the overall length on a tile support rail so that the tile is supported on the tile supporting rail. Such a structure as just described is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 9-105220 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) or Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-172012 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2).

However, such a structure as described above has the following disadvantages.

(1) Since the fitting recessed groove of a trapezoidal cross section formed over the overall length on the rear surface of the tile is fitted with the projecting strip of the tile support rail to support the tile on the tile support rail, it cannot be avoided to make the vertical dimension of the tile greater than the vertical dimension of the tile support rail. Therefore, where such tile support rails are disposed in parallel to each other on the skeleton of a building, the tile support rails must be disposed in a spaced relationship from each other in the vertical direction such that a space may be formed between adjacent upper and lower ones of the tile support rails. As a result, it is necessary to perform inking, that is, drawing of a reference line for positioning, for each tile support rail. This operation is cumbersome, and much labor and time are required for a tile support rail installing operation.

(2) Since the fitting recessed groove on the rear surface of the tile is open at the opposite left and right ends thereof keeping the trapezoidal shape of the cross section, if the tile is supported as it is by the tile support rail at a corner portion of a wall surface of the skeleton of a building, then the opening face of the fitting recessed groove is exposed. Therefore, it is necessary to attach the tile support rail such that it extends to a location spaced away from the corner of the wall surface of the skeleton of the building while a tile for exclusive use for a corner portion called corner tile is used for the corner of the wall surface of the body. Besides, it is necessary to support the tile by some other supporting measures than the tile support rail.

(3) Since the fitting recessed groove on the rear surface of the tile has a trapezoidal cross section and the projecting strip of the tile support rail extends over the overall length of the tile support rail, after the fitting recessed groove of a tile is fitted with the projecting strip of the tile support rail, it is difficult to remove the tile from an intermediate portion of the tile support rail.

(4) The thickness of the tile in cross section is reduced by an amount corresponding to the depth of the fitting recessed groove of a trapezoidal cross section formed on the tile, and the strength of the tile decreases as much.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tile wall structure and a tile wall construction method by which the necessity to perform inking for each tile support rail is eliminated to significantly facilitate an installation operation of tile support rails.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a tile wall structure and a tile wall construction method by which, also at a corner portion between the wall surfaces of the skeleton of a building, an ordinary tile can be used and supported on a tile support rail similarly as at the other portions of the skeleton without using a tile for exclusive use for a corner portion.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tile wall structure and a tile wall construction method wherein a tile can be removed similarly from any portion of a tile support rail.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a tile wall structure and a tile wall construction method by which the strength of a tile itself can be assured sufficiently.

In order to attain the objects described above, according to the present invention, tile support rails are disposed in a partly overlapping condition with each other without being spaced away from each other in the vertical direction on the skeleton of a building.

In particular, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tile wall structure comprising a plurality of horizontally elongated tile support rails disposed in parallel to each other on a skeleton, and a plurality of tiles disposed on and supported by the tile support rails, each of the tile support rails having a tile supporting portion formed on a lower side edge or an upper side edge thereof, the tile supporting portion having an upwardly projecting portion and a downwardly projecting portion, each of the tiles having upper and lower supporting grooves formed on upper and lower surfaces thereof, each two adjacent ones of the tile support rails being disposed on the skeleton such that adjacent lower and upper portions thereof overlap with each other and positioning portions thereof are positioned relative to each other at the overlapping portions, each of the tiles being supported between the tile supporting portions of adjacent upper and lower ones of the tile support rails with an upper side one of the supporting grooves thereof engaged with the downwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion of the upper side tile support rail and with a lower side one of the supporting grooves thereof engaged with the upwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion of the lower side tile support rail.

Preferably, the positioning portions of each of the tile support rails are a fitting recessed groove and a fitting projecting strip for positioning formed on a horizontally elongated base plate of the tile support rail, and the fitting recessed groove and the fitting projecting strip of each upper and lower adjacent ones of the tile support rails are fitted with each other to position the adjacent tile support rails relative to each other.

Further preferably, the upwardly projecting portion and the downwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion are formed in such a manner as to extend forwardly and integrally from the lower side edge or the upper side edge of the horizontally elongated base plate of each of the tile support rails. Further preferably, the upwardly projecting portion and the downwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion are formed in such a manner as to extend forwardly and integrally from the lower side edge or the upper side edge of the horizontally elongated base plate of each of the tile support rails and then extend in a bent back fashion.

Preferably, the supporting grooves on the upper and lower surfaces of each of the tiles have a V-shaped cross section. In this instance, preferably the upwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion has an inverted V shape, and the downwardly projecting portion is formed in such a manner as to depend from one side of the V shape of the upwardly projecting portion.

Preferably, the tile supporting portion has a drain hole perforated therein.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a construction method for a tile wall for disposing and supporting a plurality of tiles on a plurality of horizontally elongated tile support rails disposed in parallel to each other on a skeleton, comprising preparing, as the tile support rails, tile support rails each of which has a tile supporting portion formed on a lower side edge or an upper side edge thereof and having an upwardly projecting portion and a downwardly projecting portion, preparing, as the tiles, tiles each of which has upper and lower supporting grooves formed on upper and lower surfaces thereof, disposing the tile support rails on the skeleton such that adjacent lower and upper portions of each two adjacent ones of the tile support rails overlap with each other and positioning portions of the two adjacent tile support rails are positioned relative to each other at the overlapping portions, and attaching each of the tiles so as to be supported between the tile supporting portions of adjacent upper and lower ones of the tile support rails with an upper side one of the supporting grooves thereof engaged with the downwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion of the upper side tile support rail and with a lower side one of the supporting grooves thereof engaged with the upwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion of the lower side tile support rail.

The lower supporting groove of each of the tiles may be engaged with the upwardly projecting portion of a lower side one of the tile support rails which is installed formerly on the skeleton to place the lower side supporting groove on the lower side tile support rail and then the downwardly projecting portion of an upper side one of the tile support rails may be engaged with the upper supporting groove of the tile to attach the upper side tile support rail to the skeleton. Or, upper and lower side ones of the tile support rails may be attached to the skeleton first, and each of the tiles may be inserted between the downwardly projecting portion of the upper side tile support rail and the upwardly projecting portion of the lower side tile support rail such that the upper and lower supporting grooves are engaged with the downwardly projecting portion and the upwardly projecting portion, respectively.

Preferably, a joint filler is filled in each of joint gaps formed between adjacent upper and lower ones of the tiles such that the upwardly projecting portions and the downwardly projecting portions of the tile supporting portions of the tile support rails are embedded in the joint filler.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tile support rail for use with a tile wall structure wherein a plurality of horizontally elongated tile support rails are disposed in parallel to each other on a skeleton and a plurality of tiles are disposed on and supported by the tile support rails, the tile support rail having a lower side edge or an upper side edge on which a tile supporting portion having an upwardly projecting portion and a downwardly projecting portion is formed, and a pair of upper and lower positioning portions provided such that the upper positioning portion cooperates with the lower positioning portion of a second tile support rail, which is provided at an upper stage with respect to the tile support rail, to position the second tile support rail with respect to the tile support rail on the skeleton, a tile being supported between and by the tile supporting portion of the tile support rail and the tile supporting portion of the second tile support rail such that an upper side supporting groove formed on an upper face of the tile is engaged with the downwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion of the second tile support rail and a lower side supporting groove formed on a lower face of the tile is engaged with the upwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion of the tile support rail.

Preferably, the upper and lower positioning portions are a fitting recessed groove and a fitting projecting strip for positioning formed on a horizontally elongated base plate of the tile support rail, and the fitting recessed groove or the fitting projecting strip of the tile support rail is fitted with the fitting projecting strip or the fitting recessed groove of the second tile support rail.

Further preferably, the upwardly projecting portion and the downwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion are formed in such a manner as to extend forwardly and integrally from the lower edge or the upper edge of the horizontally elongated base plate. Further preferably, the upwardly projecting portion and the downwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion are formed in such a manner as to extend forwardly and integrally from the lower edge or the upper edge of the horizontally elongated base plate and then extend in a bent back fashion.

Preferably, the tile supporting portion has a drain hole perforated therein.

According to the present invention, the following advantages can be anticipated.

(1) Since each two adjacent ones of the tile support rails are disposed on the skeleton such that adjacent lower and upper portions thereof overlap with each other and positioning portions thereof are positioned relative to each other at the overlapping portions, the necessity to perform inking for each tile support rail is eliminated. Consequently, an installation operation of tile support rails is facilitated significantly when compared with that of conventional tile support rails.

(2) Since each of the tiles is supported between the tile supporting portions of adjacent upper and lower ones of the tile support rails with an upper side one of the supporting grooves thereof engaged with the downwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion of the upper side tile support rail and with a lower side one of the supporting grooves thereof engaged with the upwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion of the lower side tile support rail, the tile can be removed from the pertaining tile support rail in a similar manner at whichever position of the pertaining tile support rail the tile is.

(3) Since the rear surface of each tile is a flat face having no recess thereon, also at a corner portion between the wall surfaces of the skeleton, an ordinary tile can be used and supported on the tile support rail similarly as at the other portions of the skeleton without using a tile for exclusive use for a corner portion. Besides, also the strength of the tile itself can be assured sufficiently.

(4) When the tile support rails are overlapped with each other, if the fitting recessed groove and the fitting projecting strip for positioning formed on the tile support rails are fitted with each other, then the positioning of the tile support rails can be performed simply and with a high degree of accuracy.

(5) Since the tile supporting portion for supporting a tile may be formed integrally on only one of the lower side edge and the upper side edge of each tile support rail, the tile support rails can be produced readily.

(6) Where the supporting grooves on the upper and lower surfaces of each of the tiles have a V-shaped cross section and, corresponding to this, the upwardly projecting portion of the tile supporting portion has an inverted V shape and the downwardly projecting portion is formed in such a manner as to depend from one side of the V shape of the upwardly projecting portion, the tile can be supported stably and the tile supporting portion can be formed simple in configuration and worked readily.

(7) Where the tile supporting portion has a drain hole perforated therein, rainwater and so forth can be drained from the tile supporting portion. Therefore, rainwater or the like is not be accumulated in the tile supporting portion.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts or elements are denoted by like reference symbols.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a tile used in a tile wall structure and a tile wall construction method according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the tile of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3(A), 3(B) and 3(C) are an end view, a front elevational view and a plan view, respectively, showing a tile support rail used in the first embodiment;

FIGS. 4(A), 4(B) and 4(C) are an enlarged end view, an enlarged partial front elevational view and an enlarged partial plan view of the tile support rail shown in FIGS. 3(A) to 3(C);

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the tile support rail for the lowermost stage in a fixed state and the tile used in the first embodiment illustrating a construction procedure of the tile wall structure of the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the tile support rail for the lowermost stage and the tile used in the first embodiment and secured to the tile support rail shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the tile support rail for the second lowermost stage attached to the tile support rail shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the tile wall structure of the first embodiment in a completed state;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating an example of construction at a corner portion of a wall surface of the skeleton of a building where a joint is formed also between tiles which are positioned leftwardly and rightwardly adjacent to each other;

FIG. 10 is a similar view but illustrating another example of construction at a corner portion of a wall surface of the skeleton of a building where a joint is not formed between tiles which are positioned leftwardly and rightwardly adjacent to each other;

FIGS. 11 to 15 are sectional views of tile support rails having modified forms of a tile supporting portion;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view illustrating a construction procedure according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a sectional view of a tile wall structure in a completed state produced by the construction procedure illustrated in FIG. 16;

FIGS. 18 and 19 are sectional views illustrating a construction procedure according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 20 is a sectional view of a tile wall structure in a completed state formed by the construction procedure illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a tile used in a tile wall structure and a tile wall construction method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The tile 1 shown has a generally horizontally elongated rectangular shape as viewed in a front elevation of FIG. 1 and has a front surface 1 a and a rear surface 1 b each of which has a flat face having no recess thereon. The tile 1 further has upper and lower surfaces 1 c and 1 d, on which upper and lower supporting grooves 2 and 3 having a V-shaped cross section are formed, respectively.

Referring now to FIGS. 3(A) to 3(C) and 5, there is shown a tile support rail used in the tile wall structure and the tile wall construction method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The tile support rail 4 shown is formed from a single horizontally elongated metal plate and has a horizontally elongated base plate 5 and a resilient tile supporting portion 6 provided integrally on a lower side edge of the horizontally elongated base plate 5 and projecting forwardly. In particular, referring to FIG. 4(A), the tile supporting portion 6 has a gutter-like portion 6 a, an upwardly projecting portion 6 b, and a downwardly projecting portion 6 c in the form of a flat plate, formed integrally with each other. The gutter-like portion 6 a extends perpendicularly forwardly from a lower side edge of the horizontally elongated base plate 5, and the upwardly projecting portion 6 b extends obliquely upwardly from a front edge of the gutter-like portion 6 a. The downwardly projecting portion 6 c extends downwardly from an upper edge of the upwardly projecting portion 6 b farther than gutter-like portion 6 a and is disposed so as to provide a V shape together with the upwardly projecting portion 6 b.

The horizontally elongated base plate 5 of the tile support rail 4 has a pair of upper and lower swollen ribs 7 and 8 for positioning and an intermediate swollen rib 9 for reference in fixation formed over the overall length thereof. Each of the swollen ribs 7 and 8 and the swollen rib 9 is swollen to the front side so as to have a C-shaped cross section. The upper and lower swollen ribs 7 and 8 are used for positioning when two tile support rails 4 are partially overlapped with each other. In particular, the convex face of the front face of the upper swollen rib 7 serves as a fitting projecting strip for positioning while the concave face of the rear face of the lower swollen rib 8 serves as a fitting recessed groove for positioning. To this end, the upper and lower swollen ribs 7 and 8 are dimensioned so that the fitting described can be performed suitably. The swollen ribs 7, 8 and 9 serve also as guides which indicate that, upon fastening thereof by screws, the screwing should be performed therealong, and further serve, where a bonding agent (caulking material) 13 (refer to FIG. 5) is to be applied between the tile support rail 4 and the tile 1, as guides for application of the bonding agent 13 as occasion demands. It is to be noted that the three swollen ribs 7, 8 and 9 serve also as reinforcing elements for the horizontally elongated base plate 5.

A plurality of drain holes 10 are perforated in a spaced relationship from each other by a required distance in the gutter-like portion 6 a of the tile supporting portion 6 as seen in FIGS. 3(C) and 4(C).

Now, a tile wall structure to be constructed using such a tile 1 and a tile support rail 4 as described above and a construction procedure of the tile wall structure are described.

First, the level of a tile support rail 4 for the lowermost stage is determined (inked), and the tile support rail 4 is secured to a wall surface of the building skeleton as seen in FIG. 5. Thereupon, holes are perforated in the tile support rail 4 along the intermediate swollen rib 9, and screws 11 are screwed into vertical furring strips 12 of the wall surface of the building skeleton through the holes.

Then, as seen in FIG. 6, a tile 1 is placed on the tile supporting portion 6 of the tile support rail 4 for the lowermost stage fixed as described above with the lower supporting groove 3 thereof engaged with the upwardly projecting portion 6 b of the tile supporting portion 6. Though not shown, a plurality of tiles 4 are attached to the tile support rail 4.

Then, as seen in FIGS. 7 and 9, a tile support rail 4 for the second lowermost stage is secured similarly to the vertical furring strips 12 such that a lower side portion of the horizontally elongated base plate 5 of the tile support rail 4 for the second lowermost stage overlaps with an upper side portion of the horizontally elongated base plate 5 of the tile support rail 4 for the lowermost stage. In this instance, the convex face of the front face of the upper side swollen rib 7 of the tile support rail 4 for the lowermost state and the concave face of the rear face of the lower swollen rib 8 of the tile support rail 4 for the second lowermost stage are fixed with each other using the convex face as a fitting projecting strip for positioning and using the concave face as a fitting recessed groove to position the tile support rail 4 for the second lowermost stage with respect to the tile support rail 4 for the lowermost stage. Further, the downwardly projecting portion 6 c of the tile support rail 4 for the second lowermost stage is engaged with the upper side supporting groove 2 of the tile 1 mounted in such a manner as described above. Also the overlapping portions of the tile support rails 4 are fastened to each other by screws as occasion demands.

Thereafter, a similar sequence of operations is repeated for each of tile support rails 4 for succeeding stages.

Each two tile support rails 4 are secured to the wall surface of the building skeleton such that they partly overlap with each other and the fitting projecting strip and the fitting recessed groove formed as the upper and lower swollen ribs 7 and 8 thereof are fitted with each other. Therefore, upon vertical positioning of the tile support rails 4, there is no necessity to perform inking individually for each of the tile support rails 4, but only it is necessary to ink a single reference line with regard to the tile support rail 4 for the lowermost stage, for example, on the vertical furring strips 12.

Each of tiles 1 mounted in such a manner as described above is sandwiched by and between the tile supporting portion 6 of the tile support rail 4 for the pertaining stage to which the tile 1 belongs and the tile supporting portion 6 of the tile support rail 4 for the next or overlying stage. In the sandwiched state, the tile supporting portions 6 of the upper and lower tile support rails 4 engage with the upper and lower supporting grooves 2 and 3 of the tile 1 which have a V-shaped cross section such that the upwardly projecting portion 6 b extending obliquely so as to exhibit an inverted V shape in cross section in cooperation with the downwardly projecting portion 6 c engaged with the lower supporting groove 3 while the downwardly projecting portion 6 c in the form of a flat plate engages with the upper side supporting groove 2. Consequently, the tile 1 is positioned accurately in the thicknesswise direction (forward and backward direction) with respect to the tile support rails 4 and besides is supported in a stable state.

However, since the tile supporting portion 6 has resiliency and besides a horizontal joint gap 14 is formed between the upwardly and downwardly adjacent tiles 1 by the upwardly projecting portion 6 b and the downwardly projecting portion 6 c of the tile supporting portions 6, when amendment is required, even if tiles are supported already on the opposite left and right sides of a tile to be removed, the target tile of removal can be removed from the tile support rail 4. If a joint filler (not shown) is filled in the joint gaps 14, then the tile supporting portions 6 can be embedded in the joint filler.

In the above-described conventional tile wall structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2, since it cannot be avoided to use a corner tile for exclusive use for a corner for a corner portion of the wall surface of the building skeleton, a tile support rail cannot be extended to a corner of the wall surface as described hereinabove. However, according to the tile wall structure of the present embodiment described above, the tile 1 can be used also at a corner of the wall surface of the building skeleton as seen in examples of construction shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Therefore, tile support rails 4 on two adjacent wall surfaces of the building skeleton can be extended to a vertical furring strip 12 at a corner portion between the wall surfaces of the building skeleton until they abut with each other. Accordingly, also in this instance, inking in the lengthwise direction (leftward and rightward direction) for the tile support rails 4 is not required. In the construction example illustrated in FIG. 9, in addition to horizontal joint gaps 14 defined by the upwardly projecting portions 6 b and the downwardly projecting portions 6 c of the tile supporting portions 6, also a joint gap 15 is formed between each two tiles 1 which are adjacent to each other in the leftward and rightward direction. Meanwhile, in the construction example illustrated in FIG. 10, no such joint gap 15 is formed.

Now, several modified forms of the tile supporting portion 6 of the tile support rail 4 are described.

In the modified form shown in FIG. 11, an intermediate portion 6 d between the upwardly projecting portion 6 b and the downwardly projecting portion 6 c of the tile supporting portion 6 is curved or swollen forwardly in order to raise the strength of the upwardly projecting portion 6 b and the downwardly projecting portion 6 c. Meanwhile, in the modified form shown in FIG. 12, an intermediate portion 6 d between the upwardly projecting portion 6 b and the downwardly projecting portion 6 c of the tile supporting portion 6 is curved or swollen rearwardly.

In the modified form shown in FIG. 13, the tile supporting portion 6 is formed so as to have a substantially T-shaped cross section such that both of the upwardly projecting portion 6 b and the downwardly projecting portion 6 c have a mere form of a flat plate. Meanwhile, in the modified from shown in FIG. 14, the modified form of the tile supporting portion 6 shown in FIG. 13 is further modified such that the upwardly projecting portion 6 b and the downwardly projecting portion 6 c are bent such that they contact with one-side faces (oblique faces) of the supporting grooves 2 and 3 of the tiles 1 which have a V-shaped cross section, respectively.

In the modified form shown in FIG. 15, the upwardly projecting portion 6 b and the downwardly projecting portion 6 c extend perpendicularly from vertically different locations of the horizontally elongated base plate 5.

In the first embodiment described above, the construction procedure is such that the lower supporting groove 3 of a tile 1 is engaged with the upwardly projecting portion 6 b of a lower side tile support rail 4 installed formerly on the skeleton to place the supporting groove 3 on the tile support rail 4 and then the downwardly projecting portion 6 c of an upper side tile support rail 4 is engaged with the upper supporting groove 2 of the tile 1 to attach the upper side tile support rail 4 to the skeleton. However, also it is possible to first attach upper and lower side tile support rails 4 to the skeleton and insert a tile 1 between the downwardly projecting portion 6 c of the upper side tile support rail 4 and the upwardly projecting portion 6 b of the lower side tile support rail 4 such that the upper and lower supporting grooves 2 and 3 are engaged with the downwardly projecting portion 6 c and the upwardly projecting portion 6 b, respectively. The second construction procedure just described is described in more detail below as second and third embodiments of the present invention.

Second Embodiment

FIGS. 16 and 17 illustrate the second embodiment of the present invention which uses the second construction procedure described above. Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, in order to allow the second construction procedure, the upwardly projecting portion 6 b of the tile supporting portion 6 of the tile support rail 4 is formed so as to have an inverted U-shaped cross section and the downwardly projecting portion 6 c of the tile supporting portion 6 of the tile support rail 4 is formed so as to have a U-shaped cross section.

Meanwhile, the tile 1 is chamfered arcuately at upper and lower corner portions 1 a and 1 b of the rear surface thereof.

The construction of the second embodiment is performed in the following manner.

Referring first to FIG. 16, tile support rails 4 are successively disposed and fastened to vertical furring strips (only one is shown) 12 by means of screws in order from the lower side such that they partly overlap with each other and fitting projecting strips and fitting recessed grooves formed as upper and lower swollen ribs 7 and 8, respectively, are fitted with each other in such a manner as described hereinabove in connection with the first embodiment. Then, each tile 1 is inserted forcibly from the front side between the downwardly projecting portion 6 c and the upwardly projecting portion 6 b of the tile supporting portions 6 of each upper and lower side ones of the tile support rails 4. Consequently, the upper supporting groove 2 of the tile 1 is fitted with the downwardly projecting portion 6 c of the upper side tile support rail 4 and the lower supporting groove 3 is fitted with the upwardly projecting portion 6 b of the lower side tile support rail 4. The tile 1 is supported in such fitting states at the upper and lower portions thereof between the upper and lower tile supporting portions 6.

Third Embodiment

FIGS. 18 to 20 illustrate a third embodiment of the present invention which uses the second construction procedure mentioned hereinabove. Referring to FIGS. 18 to 20, in order to allow the construction procedure, the tile supporting portion 6 of the tile support rail 4 is formed so as to have an N-shaped cross section with respect to the horizontally elongated base plate 5. In particular, the gutter-like portion 6 a extends obliquely in an inclined relationship from a lower end of the horizontally elongated base plate 5 such that an upper end portion thereof serves as an inverted V-shaped upwardly projecting portion 6 b while a portion extending downwardly from the upwardly projecting portion 6 b forms a tile supporting portion 6 in the form of a flat plate.

Meanwhile, the tile 1 is configured such that the upper supporting groove 2 has a greater depth than the lower supporting groove 3. Further, while each of the upper and lower supporting grooves 2 and 3 have a V-shaped cross section, the upper supporting groove 2 has a vertical face as a rear face thereof and has an inclined face as a front face thereof. Meanwhile, the lower supporting groove 3 has an inclined face as a rear face and has a vertical face as a front face thereof conversely. Further, the tile 1 is chamfered obliquely at upper and lower corner portions 1 a and 1 b of the rear surface thereof.

In the third embodiment, construction is performed in the following manner.

First, tile support rails 4 are successively disposed and fastened to the vertical furring strips 12 by means of screws in order from the lower side such that they partly overlap with each other and fitting projecting strips and fitting recessed grooves formed as the upper and lower swollen ribs 7 and 8, respectively, are fitted with each other in such a manner as described hereinabove in connection with the first embodiment as seen in FIG. 18. Then, each tile 1 is operated in a tilted posture such that the upper supporting groove 2 thereof is moved from below toward the downwardly projecting portion 6 c of an upper side tile support rail 4 until the lower end of the downwardly projecting portion 6 c reaches the innermost end of the upper supporting groove 2. Thereafter, the tile 1 is inserted between the upper and lower tile supporting portions 6 until it is postured such that the lower supporting groove 3 is positioned just above the upwardly projecting portion 6 b of the lower side tile support rail 4 as seen in FIG. 19. Thereafter, the tile 1 is permitted to move downwardly as it is until the lower supporting groove 3 is fitted with the upwardly projecting portion 6 b of the tile support rail 4.

As a result, the tile 1 is supported stably between the upper and lower tile supporting portions 6 in such a state that, as shown in FIG. 20, the lower supporting groove 3 is fitted with the upwardly projecting portion 6 b of the lower side tile support rail 4 with the inclined rear face and the vertical front face thereof held in close contact with the upwardly projecting portion 6 b while the upper supporting groove 2 receives the downwardly projecting portion 6 c of the upper side tile support rail 4 with the vertical rear face thereof held in contact with the downwardly projecting portion 6 c. A gap is formed between the upper supporting groove 2 and the downwardly projecting portion 6 c of the upper side tile support rail 4. However, since the vertical distance S between the tip end (upper end) of the upwardly projecting portion 6 b of the lower side tile support rail 4 and the lower end of the downwardly projecting portion 6 c of the upper side tile support rail 4 is smaller than the vertical height H between the upper surface and the lower surface of the tile 1 (S<H), the tile 1 does not inadvertently drop from between the upper and lower tile supporting portions 6. The supporting of the tile 1 is further secured if a caulking material is provided between the tile land the tile supporting portion 6 of the upper side tile support rail 4 on the rear side of the tile 1.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention are described above, the tile supporting portion 6 of the tile support rail 4 may be provided on an upper side edge reversely to that in the embodiments described above. Further, the sectional shape of the upper and lower supporting grooves 2 and 3 of the tile 1 is not limited to the V shape, but may otherwise be a U shape, a C shape, an O shape, a trapezoidal shape, a rectangular shape or the like. Furthermore, while the tile support rail 4 is secured to the vertical furring strips 12 using the screws 11, the tile support rail 4 may otherwise be secured directly to the wall surface of the skeleton without using a vertical furring, or else the tile support rail 4 may be secured using some other fastening means other than a screw such as a nail.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims. 

1. A tile wall structure, comprising: a plurality of horizontally elongated tile support rails disposed in parallel to each other on a skeleton; and a plurality of tiles disposed on and supported by said tile support rails; each of said tile support rails having a tile supporting portion formed on a lower side edge or an upper side edge thereof, said tile supporting portion having an upwardly projecting portion and a downwardly projecting portion; each of said tiles having upper and lower supporting grooves formed on upper and lower surfaces thereof; each two adjacent ones of said tile support rails being disposed on said skeleton such that adjacent lower and upper portions thereof overlap with each other and positioning portions thereof are positioned relative to each other at the overlapping portions; each of said tiles being supported between the tile supporting portions of adjacent upper and lower ones of said tile support rails with an upper side one of said supporting grooves thereof engaged with the downwardly projecting portion of said tile supporting portion of the upper side tile support rail and with a lower side one of said supporting grooves thereof engaged with the upwardly projecting portion of said tile supporting portion of the lower side tile support rail.
 2. A tile wall structure according to claim 1, wherein the positioning portions of each of said tile support rails are a fitting recessed groove and a fitting projecting strip for positioning formed on a horizontally elongated base plate of the tile support rail, and the fitting recessed groove and the fitting projecting strip of each upper and lower adjacent ones of said tile support rails are fitted with each other to position the adjacent tile support rails relative to each other.
 3. A tile wall structure according to claim 2, wherein said upwardly projecting portion and said downwardly projecting portion of said tile supporting portion are formed in such a manner as to extend forwardly and integrally from the lower side edge or the upper side edge of said horizontally elongated base plate of each of said tile support rails.
 4. A tile wall structure according to claim 3, wherein said upwardly projecting portion and said downwardly projecting portion of said tile supporting portion are formed in such a manner as to extend forwardly and integrally from the lower side edge or the upper side edge of said horizontally elongated base plate of each of said tile support rails and then extend in a bent back fashion.
 5. A tile wall structure according to claim 1, wherein said supporting grooves on the upper and lower surfaces of each of said tiles have a V-shaped cross section.
 6. A tile wall structure according to claim 5, wherein said upwardly projecting portion of said tile supporting portion has an inverted V shape, and said downwardly projecting portion is formed in such a manner as to depend from one side of the V shape of said upwardly projecting portion.
 7. A tile wall structure according to claim 1, wherein said tile supporting portion has a drain hole perforated therein.
 8. A construction method for a tile wall for disposing and supporting a plurality of tiles on a plurality of horizontally elongated tile support rails disposed in parallel to each other on a skeleton, comprising: preparing, as the tile support rails, tile support rails each of which has a tile supporting portion formed on a lower side edge or an upper side edge thereof and having an upwardly projecting portion and a downwardly projecting portion; preparing, as the tiles, tiles each of which has upper and lower supporting grooves formed on upper and lower surfaces thereof; disposing said tile support rails on said skeleton such that adjacent lower and upper portions of each two adjacent ones of said tile support rails overlap with each other and positioning portions of the two adjacent tile support rails are positioned relative to each other at the overlapping portions; and attaching each of said tiles so as to be supported between the tile supporting portions of adjacent upper and lower ones of said tile support rails with an upper side one of said supporting grooves thereof engaged with the downwardly projecting portion of said tile supporting portion of the upper side tile support rail and with a lower side one of said supporting grooves thereof engaged with the upwardly projecting portion of said tile supporting portion of the lower side tile support rail.
 9. A construction method for a tile wall structure according to claim 8, wherein said lower supporting groove of each of said tiles is engaged with said upwardly projecting portion of a lower side one of said tile support rails which is installed formerly on said skeleton to place said lower side supporting groove on the lower side tile support rail and then said downwardly projecting portion of an upper side one of said tile support rails is engaged with said upper supporting groove of the tile to attach the upper side tile support rail to said skeleton.
 10. A construction method for a tile wall structure according to claim 8, wherein upper and lower side ones of said tile support rails are attached to said skeleton first, and each of said tiles is inserted between said downwardly projecting portion of the upper side tile support rail and said upwardly projecting portion of the lower side tile support rail such that the upper and lower supporting grooves are engaged with the downwardly projecting portion and the upwardly projecting portion, respectively.
 11. A construction method for a tile wall structure according to claim 8, wherein a joint filler is filled in each of joint gaps formed between adjacent upper and lower ones of said tiles such that the upwardly projecting portions and the downwardly projecting portions of the tile supporting portions of said tile support rails are embedded in the joint filler.
 12. A tile support rail for use with a tile wall structure wherein a plurality of horizontally elongated tile support rails are disposed in parallel to each other on a skeleton and a plurality of tiles are disposed on and supported by the tile support rails, said tile support rail having: a lower side edge or an upper side edge on which a tile supporting portion having an upwardly projecting portion and a downwardly projecting portion is formed; and a pair of upper and lower positioning portions provided such that the upper positioning portion cooperates with the lower positioning portion of a second tile support rail, which is provided at an upper stage with respect to said tile support rail, to position said second tile support rail with respect to said tile support rail on the skeleton; a tile being supported between and by said tile supporting portion of said tile support rail and said tile supporting portion of said second tile support rail such that an upper side supporting groove formed on an upper face of the tile is engaged with the downwardly projecting portion of said tile supporting portion of said second tile support rail and a lower side supporting groove formed on a lower face of the tile is engaged with the upwardly projecting portion of said tile supporting portion of said tile support rail.
 13. A tile support rail according to claim 1, wherein said upper and lower positioning portions area fitting recessed groove and a fitting projecting strip for positioning formed on a horizontally elongated base plate of said tile support rail, and the fitting recessed groove or the fitting projecting strip of said tile support rail is fitted with the fitting projecting strip or the fitting recessed groove of said second tile support rail.
 14. A tile support rail according to claim 13, wherein said upwardly projecting portion and said downwardly projecting portion of said tile supporting portion are formed in such a manner as to extend forwardly and integrally from the lower side edge or the upper side edge of said horizontally elongated base plate.
 15. A tile support rail according to claim 14, wherein said upwardly projecting portion and said downwardly projecting portion of said tile supporting portion are formed in such a manner as to extend forwardly and integrally from the lower side edge or the upper side edge of said horizontally elongated base plate and then extend in a bent back fashion.
 16. A tile support rail according to claim 12, wherein said tile supporting portion has a drain hole perforated therein. 